Best Time to Book Flights Backed by Google’s 2025 Data

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Booked too late and watched the price jump overnight? Or waited for a bargain that never came? Same here.

We once couldn’t decide where to go for our anniversary and kept checking flights and jotting down prices for different destinations. And by the time we finally made up our minds, the fare for the place had more than doubled. After visiting over 50 countries, we’ve run into that problem more than we’d like to admit.

Thankfully, Google’s 2025 travel pricing trends data takes the guesswork out of figuring out the best time to book flights. It’s based on four years of flight prices and actually shows when to book if you want to avoid overpaying.

This guide breaks down the cheapest time to buy airline tickets, which days of the week are usually cheaper, and when a layover might save you hundreds. If you’ve been second-guessing your flight timing, this will help.

Best time to book flights for the lowest fares

You’ve probably heard the classic advice to “book early”. But how far in advance should you book flights to actually get the lowest fares?

According to Google’s 2025 flight trends, it depends on whether you’re flying domestic (where you land in the same country you took off from) or international (where you cross country borders):

Domestic flights: For cheap flights, aim to book about 1-2 months ahead. The cheapest airfare for domestic travel is typically found around 39 days before departure, just over five weeks out.
International flights: Book at least 7-8 weeks in advance (and earlier if you can). The sweet spot is around 49 days ahead. When booking early, you usually have more options beyond basic economy tickets, giving you better value for the price. We usually map out our long-haul trips at the start of the year and book them early. Over time, it’s saved us hundreds per trip and made planning way less stressful. If you’ve got your eye on Tokyo, Sydney, or anywhere further afield, try not to wait.

A Korean Air Boeing 777 wide-body jet is parked at an airport gate under a sunrise or sunset sky.

So why the difference? International travel fares tend to be released earlier, and demand picks up faster, which pushes prices up. Domestic routes have more competition and frequent flights, so there’s a bit more wiggle room, but not much.

We’ve gambled on waiting too long before (hello, expensive anniversary trip!), and it rarely pays off. Unless your dates are flexible and you’re open to changing destinations, booking early is still your best move.

Cheapest days of the week to fly

Once you’ve figured out when to book, the next question is usually: what’s the best day to actually fly?

You might have heard that flying on a Tuesday is the cheapest option… and it turns out there’s some truth to it! According to Google’s data and our own experience, flying mid-week really can save you money.

Flying on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday tends to be about 13% cheaper on average than weekend flights. Fewer business travellers and holidaymakers are in the air mid-week, so airlines often lower fares to fill seats. We’ve also noticed airports feel a little calmer, which is always a bonus.

On the other hand, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are prime time for travel. If you fly out on a Friday or return on a Sunday, expect to pay more.

A blonde woman with a suitcase stands at a large airport window, looking out at a parked passenger plane.

Here’s an example: imagine you’re planning a long weekend in Vienna. Instead of flying out Friday evening, try leaving Wednesday night or early Thursday. You’ll likely save on your flight and start your trip before the weekend crowds roll in.

That could mean using an extra day of annual leave, and whether that’s worth it depends on your schedule and priorities. For us, it has often been the difference between a rushed start and a more relaxed, affordable getaway.

Best day to book flights

You’ve probably seen tips that say booking on a certain day of the week will get you the best price. But is that actually true?

According to Google’s latest analysis, not really! The day you buy your ticket, whether it’s a Tuesday, Sunday, or any other day, doesn’t have much of an effect on the price. Tuesday has been the cheapest on average, but only by about 1.3% compared to Sunday. That’s barely noticeable for most trips.

In short, there’s no need to time your purchase to a specific weekday. What matters more is how far in advance you book and which days you choose to fly. That’s where the real savings come in.

When to book for peak travel seasons

Travelling during busy periods takes a bit more strategy. Prices often spike, and the best flight deals don’t always show up when you expect them to.

Google’s 2025 trends reveal some helpful patterns:

Spring trips (March to April) – For spring break, flights are often cheapest about 43 days (roughly six weeks) before departure.
Summer travel (July to August) – This one surprised us. Summer flight deals often appear only about 3 weeks before departure. Airlines may drop prices in early July for August trips if seats haven’t filled up. That said, it’s a riskier strategy and can backfire on popular routes.
Christmas – According to Google, the best deals usually show up around 51 days in advance, with the low-price range falling between 32-73 days before departure. That means booking between mid-October and mid-November is your safest bet for the holiday season.
Thanksgiving (for US-based travellers) – Prices have typically been lowest 35 days in advance, so mid-October is a good time to buy for late November flights.

These are averages, not rules. The best time to book depends on your destination, your flexibility, and how fast flights are filling up. Last-minute flight deals are typically rare during the peak travel season.

Our top tip: Of course, it’s usually cheaper to travel during shoulder seasons, like September or January. But if you’re limited to peak travel periods, consider alternate airports to avoid the steep fare spikes often seen at major hubs.

Not sure how to factor all of this in? In the next section, we’ll show you the tool we use to handle the research and tell you exactly when to book, based on your exact dates and destination.

Our favourite tool to find the cheapest time for a destination

While general trends are helpful, the best time to book depends on your destination and your travel dates. The ideal window for Tokyo in spring is different from Barcelona in February or New York in summer.

That’s why we love Google Flights!

In addition to the current flight price, it also tells you when to book to get the best fares, based on your exact route and dates. Instead of guessing whether to book now or wait, you’ll get a simple answer based on actual booking patterns.

We’ve tested a lot of tools, but this is the one we keep coming back to.

Here’s how it works: you enter your route and dates, and Google shows you when prices have typically been lowest based on historical data.

Two phone screens show the Google Flights interface detailing price history and advice for booking the cheapest flights to Barcelona. — Google Flights shows the cheapest time to book and tells you if today’s price is low, typical, or high based on past trends.

For example, in the search above for a trip from London to Barcelona in early February 2026, Google suggests booking the flights between 20 October 2025 and 6 January 2026.

It’s one of the simplest ways to take the guesswork out of planning and avoid overpaying just because of poor timing.

Our top tip: Set up price alerts so you get automatically notified if the price drops. You can do this directly in Google Flights, but also in other tools like Skyscanner, Expedia, Kayak, and Hopper. We’ve saved a lot this way! It’s like having a personal travel assistant keeping an eye on your flights.

Are layovers worth it?

You’ve probably seen those tempting flight options with one or more stops, usually cheaper than the nonstop alternative. But are they really worth it?

According to Google’s data, they absolutely can be. Flights with layovers are about 22% cheaper on average than direct routes. That’s a significant difference, enough to cover meals, transfers, or even a hotel night at your destination, especially on long-haul trips.

We’ve done both over the years. For a while, we didn’t mind a one-stop itinerary if it helped cut down our travel expenses. But now, we fly almost exclusively nonstop when possible.

We’ve found that checking in and out of hotels, switching planes, and waiting at airport gates adds stress and takes time away from the actual trip. That’s just our preference, though. It really depends on your travel style.

The airport itself can also make a big difference. For example, we never minded a layover at Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport, which is often ranked as one of the best airports in the world. That kind of stop turns a layover into a genuinely enjoyable experience.

Night time view of Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore, with a large indoor waterfall. — A layover at Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport feels more like a destination than a delay.

If your schedule is flexible and you don’t mind the extra transit time, layovers can get you a better deal and result in significant savings. Just weigh these savings against how much your time is worth.

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Key takeaways for booking flights in 2025

We’ve covered a lot, so here’s a quick recap of the most important tips and insights (backed by Google’s 2025 travel trends data):

Domestic flights: Book 1-2 months ahead. The lowest fares tend to appear around 39 days before departure.
International flights: Aim for at least 7-8 weeks in advance, or more if you can.
Best days to fly: Monday through Wednesday flights are about 13% cheaper than weekend travel.
When to book: The day of the week you buy doesn’t really matter. Tuesday (the cheapest day) is only 1% cheaper than Sunday (the most expensive day) on average.
Layovers: Can save you around 22%, but weigh the savings against added transit time and comfort.

Next steps for smarter travel

Booking flights at the right time is one of the easiest ways to save money without sacrificing experience. But it’s just the first step.

Once your dates are set, a bit of extra planning makes the whole trip smoother.

We travel with just a carry-on, even for week-long getaways. It saves on fees, skips the baggage carousel, and means we never worry about lost luggage. [Here’s how we pack carry-on only].

Smart travel apps can also make a huge difference. From finding hidden restaurants to navigating tricky airport connections, [these are the apps we actually rely on].

If you’re deep in trip planning, it also helps to avoid common pitfalls. [These are the mistakes we see travellers make most often], and how to avoid them.

Wherever you’re heading next, happy travels. May your next flight be better timed, less stressful, and a lot more fun.

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